Father's Day is fast approaching, and now, more than ever, local churches are gearing up their car shows and carnival/cook out environments for his big day. There's no better day of the year to reach out to Pop. Correction: Actually, every Sunday is the day to reach out to fathers...and, young fathers, in particular! Here's why...
Dads, with kids still living at home, are more times than not the gateway to reaching and strengthening women, children and families. A well-known survey revealed that if a child is the first person in the family to accept Christ and join the church, it is a 3.5% chance that the rest of the family will follow. If the mother is the first, that percentage goes to 17%. But if the father is the first to accept Christ and join the church, the rest of his family will follow 93% of the time!
Secondly, there is a great cry from suffering generations to
end the fatherless epidemic. The media
has targeted the young male audience seemingly from every angle. Worldly pressure has always been to choose
self and act irresponsibly to any role that becomes inconvenient. Society is stroking that vibe. However, anthropologist Margaret Meade said,
“The supreme test of any civilization is whether it can socialize men by
teaching them to be fathers.” There
should be no better qualified institution to aggressively offer such training
than the church. The body of Christ is
the hope for the young family and consequently the culture.
With that said, here are four critical points to consider
when going after young dads:
1. Reaching the
young family man starts with what your church offers his kids.
Nothing speaks more quickly to the
heart of a dad than what his kids enjoy. Energetic, animated, safe and current ministry to children will keep them
coming back. A secure environment for
his children will yell positively at his protective side.
2. Having a
“man” day at your church is a good start, but not an end in and of itself.
Father's Day outreaches aren't about scratching a proverbial itch. And, having a yearly focus on men without
endeavoring to reach them on purpose throughout the year is like trying to swat
a fly with a broom (it comes across too heavy too quickly without hitting the
intended target). Design your church's ministry to go after the young dad as your primary audience.
3. Décor and discipleship are golden when
appealing to men.
Evaluate the
entire look and feel of the church
facility. Keep in mind these “v’s” for
the worship experience: visual in presentation; vicious about time; vocal for
strong themes. PowerPoint and props,
starting and ending on time, and not being afraid to talk about tough
subjects
and calling for their commitment are the details of sustainable ministry
to
young men. And, sing songs primarily with "victorious, conquering"
language, not the "hold me close, feeling your caress" kind of worship
love songs.
4. The pastor is directly and indirectly the
primary minister to men.
Leadership
is the key. Ministry to men must be led from the top and
promoted as the primary direction. And,
even though all ministry cannot and must not be led directly by the lead
pastor, their involvement is critical to its ability to thrive (and, in many
cases to its survival).
David Murrow, from his book Why Men Hate Going to
Church, said these strong words: “You cannot have a thriving church without
a core of men who are true followers of Christ. If the men are dead, the church
is dead.” Be challenged to read all you
can about how to go after an effective young dad outreach. Go to a
men’s leadership conference or training event. Learn all you can to
better yourself as a leader of men. And, watch the strength and health
of your church increase. For sure, reach men on Father's Day, but
attract young dads all year long!What can your local church do to better your outreach to young fathers all year long?
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